A consumer’s decision to purchase a product or service is dictated by several rational factors like pricing, utility, affordability, reviews and comparisons. But beyond such tangibles there is one factor that every marketer needs to be aware of: EMOTIONS! Why would people otherwise choose expensive branded products over their exact generic equivalents selling at a fraction of their price? Emotions typically operate on a level of irrationality, that is both undefinable and undeniable. The author of Descartes Error Antonio Damasio argues in his book that emotions are an essential ingredient in almost all decisions. He says, whenever we have to take a decision our past related experiences come into play. These emotions create preferences depending on the options we are considering, leading to a decision.   That is why you hate going to a restaurant the second time when your first experience is not good or you prefer to buy a certain kind or brand of shoes, p...

Every business wants to grow fast.  All businesses want to cut costs. But is it possible for businesses to grow fast and at the same time cut marketing costs? Until recently that question was rhetorical with only one possible answer: NO.  But in the digital world of virtual enterprise and agile startups, a whole new business ecosystem has emerged, where every rule is being rewritten every day. Far from the days of monopolies and proprietorial monoliths, in this new business habitat, enterprises grow at mind-boggling speeds by ‘sharing’ not by owning.  From office spaces and data to logistics and key human resources, success in today’s business depends on how smartly you can “share” and “network”. And in this space sure it is absolutely possible for businesses to grow fast and cuts marketing costs both at the same time!  Outsourced CMO is an idea based on sharing that is helping companies scale rapidly at low costs simply by discarding the archaic ...